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Training

Facilitator Training

Professional training by Iowa State University Master Trainers is required in order to be certified to facilitate the Strengthening Families Program: For Parents and Youth 10-14 (SFP 10-14) with families in your community.

The 3-day training helps ensure program fidelity, making it more likely that there will be positive outcomes for youth and parents. Facilitators learn about the background, evaluation, goals, and content of the program as well as practice facilitating sessions. Training is very interactive with facilitators taking part in all activities. Training also includes information on practical considerations for implementing SFP 10-14 such as recruiting families, handling challenging participants, and options for providing child care, transportation, food, and incentives.

The three-day format allows time for group discussion and question and answer periods. Typically each day begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. Morning and afternoon breaks, as well as a lunch break, allow for a relatively relaxed schedule. Trainings over weekends (Friday-Sunday) are also an option. Facilitators have to attend the entire training in order to receive certification.

Groups of at least three facilitators per program site must receive training. One facilitator teaches the parent group; two facilitators teach the youth group, and all three facilitators work with families in the family session. Facilitators should have strong presentation and facilitation skills and experience working with parents or youth.

Becoming an Agency Trainer

Experienced certified facilitators who wish to become an Agency Trainer will need to complete strict requirements before being considered a candidate. Agency Trainers are only allowed to train their own agency staff as part of their normal job responsibilities. Special arrangements will be made on a case by case basis for those who wish to train facilitators outside their agency. Training costs are $650/per person. It is recommended that a site host a training, and we add this component to the training. Teams of two or three agency trainers will need to complete the following to be considered:

Attend a facilitator training in the program led by approved certified trainers.

Implement the full 7-week program at least 1 time as a parent facilitator (7 weeks) and 1 time as a youth facilitator (7 weeks). Additionally all family sessions need to be facilitated one time while implementing as a parent and/or youth facilitator.

Assist in coordinating/planning/recruiting of families for one 7 week session.

Questions can be directed to Cathy Hockaday. Hard copies of the above paperwork and video recordings need to be sent to Catherine Webb in one package to be reviewed before candidate will be considered as a candidate for Agency Trainer. Once considered a candidate, the person will need to complete the following:

Candidate student teaches at a facilitator training at their agency site conducted by ISU-approved Master Trainers. During this facilitator training, the candidate will be mentored and given instruction by the Master Trainers for an additional 8 hours outside of the facilitator training.

After this requirement is fulfilled the candidate will be considered to be either approved, probationary status, or not approved.

During each stage, candidates may receive phone consultation from the program coordinator, Cathy Hockaday.

Agency trainers will sign an agreement stating that they understand the limitations of their certification and that it can be revoked at any time and the agency will be contacted if the agency trainer abuses their privileges.